Apparatus for distributing materials and depositing metered quantities thereof into containers



4 Sheets-Sheet l E. SAXE METERED QUANTITIES THEREOF' INTO CONTAINERS MLTTWM, #1ML APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS AND DEPOSITING May 1,

Filed Jan. 27, 195s /NvNTo/e. WALTER E. SAXE BY HIS HTTORNiY. HARK/s, K/EcH, F0575@ d: HnRR/s May l, 1956 w. E. sAxE APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS AND DEPOSITING METERED QUANTITIES THEREOF INTO CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27 1953 @Aww W. E. SAXE May l, 1956 APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS AND DEPOSITING METERED QUANTITIES THEREOF INTO CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 27 1953 4- Sheets-Sheet l5 BY H/.S HTTORNEYS. K/EcH, FOSTER HARRIS d w. l

W. E. SAXE APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS AND DEPOSITING METERED QUANTITIES THEREOF' INTO CONTAINERS May l, 1956 Filed Jan. 27, 1955 United States `Patent O APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS AND DEPOSITING METERED QUANTITIES THEREGF INTO CONTAINERS Walter E. Saxe, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to The Conveyor Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 27, 1953, Serial No. 333,473 1s claims. (craze- 94) The present invention relates to a method ofand apparatus for distributing granular materials, the ,term granular material being intended to include any material composed of discrete, solid particles or granules.:

ing of produce in crushed ice, as a matter of convenience,

it being understood that the invention is not to be limited to distributing crushed ice, or to packing produce in ice,.however, since it is susceptible of various other applications. J

In packing vegetables, or other produce, in ice preparatory to shipment, it is conventional to place such veg-l etables in crates moving along a conveyor and to dump crushed ice into the crates at intervals from an overhead storage or supply bin, the latter being provided with valved outlets or discharge means at the points wherey crushed ice is to be placed in the crates.` In such a conventional installation, the crushed ice in the storage or supply bin frequently refreezes to some extent, and frequently bridges across the'outlets so that no crushed ice is discharged when the valves associated with the outlets are opened. Also, in conventional installations of this nature, all of the crushed ice frequently is discharged through one or a few ofthe outlets with ythe result that the remainder receive no ice, which is obviously undesirable. y

In view of the foregoing, one of the primary objects of the presentvinvention is to maintain the crushed ice in the supply bin in a iluid state by continuously circulating the ice around a closed path which embraces all of the discharge points. More particularly a primary object of the invention is to provide a distributing system which includes a supply bin having the form of a closed loop embracing all of the outlets, and which includes conveyor means in the bin for continuously circulating the'ice around the closed loop. The crushed ice is circulated around the closed loop ata rate in excess of the vrate of discharge of the ice through the outlets so that no outlet is ever starved, the circulation rate preferably being of the order of magnitude of three to four times the discharge rate.

While the supply bin of the invention may take various loop forms, it is preferably in the form of a rectangular loop with outlets along two sides thereof, conveyors for Patented May l, 1.95.6

ICC

conveyors may be located beneath and parallel tothe other two sides of the rectangular-loop.

Another object is to provide a conveyor means for circulating the crushed ice around the rectangular loop of the supply bin which includes screw conveyors respectively disposed inthe four sides of the loop with the discharge end of each screw conveyor located adjacent the inlet end vof the next.

Another object is to provide scale means connected to the supply bin -and including an indicator for indicat- Y ing the weight of crushed ice in the bin at all times so that additional crushed ice may be supplied to the bin as required to replace the ice discharged through the outlets. y

The distributing system includes a Supply means for replenishing the crushed ice discharged from the supply bin, the supply `means including an ice Crusher, for eX- ample, located in an ice house, or the like. An object in this connection is to` provide a scale means which includes a remote indicator located in the ice house so that the operator of the distributing system can readily determine the weight of crushed ice in the supply bin and can feed block ice to the ice crusher as required. More broadly, the operator can cause the supply means to deliver crushed ice to the supply bin.

Another object is to provide automatic means for replenishing the crushed ice in the supply bin, such autovmeans which includes a conduit communicating with the supply bin and a Valve movable transversely of the conduit, the Valve including a rst gate traversing the conduit and having a rst aperture adapted to register with the conduit, and including a second gate traversing the conduit downstream from the first gate and having a second aperture adapted to register with the conduit, the valve being movable from a iirst position wherein the first aperture registers with the conduit to a second position wherein the second aperture registers with the conduit. With this construction, the conduitV section or zone between the two gates acts as a metering chamber, this metering chamber filling up with crushed ice when the Y valve is in its rst position and beingy emptied when the valve is moved from its iirst position to its second position.

Another object is to provide a metering discharge means wherein the conduit section or zone between the two gates of the valve diverges downwardly so that any possibility that the crushed ice may stick in the metering-chamber is minimized. f

Another .object is to provide an actuatingl means including a first switch actuable by crates passing a given point on one of the conveyors and a secondfswitch actuable by'movement by ay particular discharge valve to its second position for moving that valve to Vits second position when a crate on the conveyor arrives at a position to receive a metered quantity of crushed ice, and for subsequentlymoving the valve back to its lirst position to recharge the metering chamber.

produce crates being located below and parallele` to these If desired,additional packing g The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention, together with various other objects and ad-v vantages thereof which will become apparent, `may be obtained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which isdescribed in detail hereinafter. v

. Referring to the drawings:- U Fig.' l` is a sideelevational view of a distributing system which embodies the invention;

Figs. 2,.3 and 4 are-sectionanlyiews respectivelytaken; along the anowed lines 2=2, 33-andY 4-4'of Fig: 1of 5 the drawings, Fig.` 3`beingfa=fragmentary-vievv;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged,'fragmentary. sectionalfviewshow; inga metering dischargelmeansof the-invention;-

Fi"g.-6 is alview.similar'to--Figf5 with various-elernents of the discharge means finotherrtope'ratingV positions;

Figs.` 7 and 8 are sectional views respectively takenV alongthe arrowedlines 7-7 and SS 'of-Fig: 5; and

Figi-9is awiring diagram ofthefinventionl. y

Referringl particularlyto Y Figs. 1-to 4" of the drawings the= distributing. -systemofthe invention linclndes `a Vframe l5 10`whichV isfrectangular withetwo-long sides' and two# short sides in the particular construction illustrated-,although other shapes may be used, asvwill beindicated hereinafter. The-frame-10\may:beof-any suitable construction. and willbe described-only' generally as including an-20 overhead section 11 supported'by 'rows' of columns* 12 alongk the respective longssides thereof. l Conveyors- 13 f extend along the respectivedongsides of the rectangular frame 10 outsidethe rows of columnsf12, thevconveyors" 13a-being `adapted totconvey articles," such` as produce25 crates-14,'in 4the -direction of the arrows-15.' Each conveyor 13 is providedvwithfspacedvhigh-speed'sections 16 for the purpose of spacing-thelcrates 14 apart, nas will-lbe` discussed hereinafter', the high-speedsections 16 operating at a higher linear speedthanthe other sections of thereon- 30 veyors 13. Three high-speed sections 16- are shown in-V4 the particular`V constructionillustrated, Valthough this number may be varied, as will be-discussed hereinafter.-

Mounted on the frame 10 in a'ma'nner tothe-described hereinafter-is anf auxiliary frame'20fof Aanysuitable con- 35 struction which carries astorage or-supply hopperorbin-f 21.A This bin `takes the ffornrof ak clos'edlouopv whichis-' rectangular in the particular construction illustrated,` the-l frame 10 being-rectangular, as yhereinbeforeindicated -to conform thereto.' However, other frameand closed-loopV 40 bin shapes may also-be used, it-beingunderstood that-theY invention is not tobe limited to rectangular shapes. The rectangular loop formed bythe bin 21 encircles the' col-H umns 12 of the `framelO; asbest shown in'Fig. 2-of theA drawings, so that-the two Vlong'sidesof the rectangular'45 bin loop 'are-disposedabove thelre'spective conveyors 13.l Each long side of the rectangularloop. denedby the -f bin 21 is provided with dischargemeans A22for discharge ing crushed ice froml the-binintothecrates 14'0'11' the* conveyorsl 13, there beingthreev discharge f' means 22,"50 respectively corresponding to the three high-speed-secf tions 16 of each conveyor 13, along 'each long side'of-the' bin loop. The structureand operation'of thedischarge means 22 will be considered in more detaill hereinafter- Each side of the rectangular bin 21 is troughlike'in'f55 cross section, as best -shown in -Fig. f4 ofthe dr'aWin'gS,-the top of the bin preferably being open, although it myzb f closed if desired. Within the bin 21 is a conveyor means4 23 for continuously circulating the crushed icefor'othe'r material around the closed loop defined bytlielbin'lso astS to 4maintain the crushed lice'in auid state,"-thereby"preventing refreezingof the ice particles fand preventingthe formationfof bridges across the `various -discharge means 22.- The-rate of circulationof the crushed ice-bythe conveyor means-23- exc'eeds theratelof dischargefof the -65 crushedv ice into the crates14'by 'the'variousfdischargef' means =22 so that "no discharge' means is `ever starved.- Preferably,1 the'rateof circulation Y"around 'the bin loopt# by the conveyor means 23 is'fof the' orderfof `magnitude oflfthreelorfour timestherate ofdischarge'throu'gh'the 70 dischargemeans 22.16 Ainsure maintenance-'of the tlu'idityfA of-vthe` fcrushed iceffand to insurev ari -adequatesupply iof crushed ice-Sto Iea'cli 'and everydiscli'argef means] 22. t

each screw is adjacentthe inlet endof the neXtscrew so that the desired circulatory movement of the crushed ice around lthe bin' loop is"obtained.

Considering the manner in which the auxiliary frame carrying the bin v21is'm'ounted on the'main frame 10, the invention provides a scale means which supports the'tauxiliary frame-20 'and bin 21 and which includes an indicator 31, for indicatingqthe weight of crushedice' in the bin; Asfbestfshow'ninlig.Y 4 of'the drawings; two' iloatinghorizontalshafts32 are located just inside the` columns 12- of th'em'ainframei 19, and, as best shown in' Fig'. l, extend thelength'of the frame. Eachshaft 32 carries ya plurality of inwardly facingl cranks 33, each crank-being supported from abovebya rod 34 pivotally connectedthereto and connected to the overhead section 11 of the main' frame 10." Eachcrank 33 is also connected' to the auxiliaryframef20'isupporting the bin 21 by' a` rod-35',"each-rod 35' being*pivotally connected' to the cor`respondin`g''-crank and 'being'- connected at its lower end' to'ftheauxiliary frame; Tivo of the cranks 33` on thevv respective shats32' are provided with inwardly facingvarmsj 3 6iuniversally interconnected at' their inner endsfby'a'joint'ST." Pivotally connected at'its lower end to the joint 37 is a link 3S which is pivotally connected" at its upperend to aninterrnediate point on a scale `beam 39, Athe'latter being' pivotally' connected to the lower` cndof'a rd40=which is connected at its upper endto"v the overhead section `11 'of the main frame 10. Pivotally connectedto'thebeam' `39 on the oppositesideof theA link 38-from the Vrod-40 is a strap'lll'leading to the indicator31.A The latterV is -a conventional scale head having afdrum- 42'aroundwhich-the strap 41 is wound and having-.connected thereto a weightV arm- 43. As 'will' be apparent; `with this'linl age,tanyl increase in the yweight ofthe crushed ice in'thenbin 21 will cause the weight arm 43 to swing upwardly to produce an'indication of increasing` -weight 'on the indicatorI 31.

Inodrer to enable the-indicator 31`to indicate directly` the netweightof'crushed icenin the bin 2l., rneans`50- 20, the bin 21, the discharge means 22, the conveyor' n1=.a'r`1`s'23,"` andass'ciated mechanism, is provided. The

meansJSO includes "a tare beam "51 pivotally conr'ieetedto-` th'elower erd 4ofia rod 52'iwhichis connected to the` overheadsection"ofthe-frame `10 at its :upper end. The'` bearn'fSl isfpivtally'connected-to the beam 39'by a link` 53nand is prov'ide'dw'itha` sliding weight 54 by means'bf whichE the 'tarelweght-maybe balanced out. Thus, the indicator"31v `indicates directly the net Weight of thccrushediceiini the'biril;l which ris `an `important feature;

Continuing :to -referto--Figf4 of the drawings, a supply means- -for -replenishing-the crushed ice discharged by the-dischargeerneans 22 is provided. Although the supply y means'Gll'rnayl4` take various'forms, it is illustrated digramratically "in the drawings as including anV ice"A Crusher 61 ywhicl-i discharges' into a conduit or a conveyor 62 leading to the bin 21 from an ice house, or the like, in"whicl`1 the icecr`usher"isdisposed, the crushedice beiiigmdi'scligd intthebpe'4 topped bin at any sultable Crusher h isfsiiiedis'tnceiifrm the* distributing? system It will be vunderstood that the screws l 24 are so arranged and driven that the discharge end of for the crushed ice and a feature of the invention is to provide adjacent the ice crusher 61, or other supply means, a remote indicator 66 similar to or replacing the indicator 31. The remote indicator 66 is actuated by a Selsyn system which includes a transmitter 67 driven by the drum 42 and connected to a. receiver 68 which drives the remote indicator, the connection between the transmitter and the receiver being indicated diagrammatically at 69. Thus, the operator of the apparatusv can start the conveyor 64 to deliver additional blocks of ice to the Crusher 61 whenever the indication provided by the remote indicator 66 drops to a predetermined minimum, thereby maintaining an adequate supply of ice in the bin 21. Also, the invention provides automatic means for this purpose. In the particular construction illustrated, the motor 65 is adapted to be controlled by another Selsyn receiver 70 which is connected to the transmitter 67 in parallel with the receiver 68. Thus, whenever the weight of crushed ice in the bin 21 falls below a predetermined minimum, the conveyor motor 65 is conduit 80 which is carried by the bin 21 and which is of square cross section in the particular construction illustrated, the conduit registering with a complementary discharge or outlet opening 81 in the bottom of the bin.

Preferably, the conduit 80 is made up of three sections,

including an upper section 82 welded or otherwise, se-

cured to the bin 21 in registry with the discharge opening 81, the upper section 82 having laterally extending anges 83 on opposite sides thereof, as best shown in Fig. 8. Below the upper section 82 is an intermediate, downwardly diverging section 84, having upper flanges 85 registering with the anges 83. The spaces between the anges 83 and 85 form tracks 86 for an Lipper or first gate 87 of a metering valve 88, as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. Below the intermediate section 84 of the conduit 80 is a member 89 to which a lower section 90 of the conduit is suitably secured, as by welding. The intermediate section 84 is provided with lower flanges 91 registering with anges 92 on the member 89 and providing tracks 93 for a lower gate 94 of the metering valve 88.

In the particular construction illustrated, the intermediate section 84, which is located between the gates 87 and 94, is secured in place by welding the flanges 83 and 85 together and by welding the flanges 91 and 92 together, although the intermediate section may be secured in place in other ways. In addition to the tracks 87 and 93 for the metering valve 88, tracks or rails 95 on which the valve rests are provided, these tracks orrails being suitably secured to the conduit 80, or the bin 21, in a manner not specifically shown.

The metering valve 88 itself has the form of a rectangular, box-like, structure in the particular construction illustrated, the upper and lower walls of this structure being formed by the upper and lower gates 87 and 94, respectively. The two gates 87 and 94 are interconnected at their ends to make the metering valve 88 an integral unit. The valve may be moved transversely of the conduit 80 along the tracks hereinbefore discussed in any suitable manner, as by a reciprocating hydraulic motor 96 pivotally connected to a bracket 97 on the bin 21 and having a piston rod 98 pivotally connected to the valve 88.

The upper gate 87 is provided with an aperture 102 therein adapted to register with the conduit 80, and the lower gate 94 is provided with an aperture 103 therein which is also adapted to register with the conduit 80.

but which is spaced or olset from the aperture 102 so that when one of the apertures is in full registry with the conduit the other is' out of registry therewith. When the irst or upper aperture 102 is in registry with the conduit 80, the valve 88 is regarded as being in its first position, this position being shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. When the valve 88 is in a second position thereof, the aperture 102 is out of registry with the conduit, vand the aperture 103 is in full registry therewith. This second position of the valve 83 is not shown is moved from its irst position toward its second position, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the crushed ice in the metering chamber dened by the intermediate section 84 falls through the lower aperture 103 into the lower section of the conduit 80. The adjacent edges 104 and 105 of the apertures 102 and 103 are laterally spaced or oifset, so that, even though both the aperturesk 102 and 103 are in partial registry with thek conduit 80 simultaneously, no additional crushed ice can enter thel metering chamber as the valve 88 is moved toward its second position because passage of ice into the metering chamber through the upper aperture 102 is prevented by the ice supported by the lower gate 94 adjacent to the edge 105. Consequently, each time the metering valve 88 is moved from its vfirst position to its second position, a metered quantity of crushed ice,r equal in'y volume to the volume of the metering chamber defined by the intermediate section 84, is dispensed, which is an important feature of the invention. As previously mentioned, the metering chamber defined by the intermediate section 84 diverges downwardly so that, even if some refreezing occurs in the metering chamber tending to cause the ice particles to adhere, the charge of ice in the metering chamber will nevertheless fall freely into the lower section 90 of the conduit S0 when the valve 8,8 reaches its second position. As will be apparent, as the valve 88 is restored to its rst position, an additional charge of ice falls into the metering chamber through the upper aperture 102, the ice falling into the metering chamber in this fashion falling onto the lower gate 94 adjacent the edge 105 so that little or none of thisv ice can fall into the lower section 90 of the conduit. By the time the metering valve 88 is returned to its first position, the metering chamber defined by the intermediate section 84 is fully charged with crushed ice because of the state of liuidity maintained in the bin 21 by the conveyor means 23, as hereinbefore discussed.

Considering now the manner in which each discharge means 22 is actuated, it will be noted from Fig. l of the drawings that associated with the conveyors 13 below each discharge means 22 is a first switch 111 mounted on the corresponding conveyor 13 in aposition to be closed by one of the crates 14. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each discharge means 22 has associated therewith a second switch 112 which is normally closed, i. e., which normally tends to close, but which is held open by engagement with the underside of the valve 88. However, when the valve 88` reaches its second position, the second switch 112 disengages the trailing end 113 of a lug 114 on the'valve 88, and moves to its closed position momentarily, as will be discussed hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 9 of the drawings, illustrated therein is an electrical' circuit controlling one of the discharge means 22. This circuit includes a device, shown as asolenoid valve 115, for controlling the hydiaulicmo'tor or ,otheractuatlorg for the correspond below ther discharge means, the corresponding rswitch 111 is closed to energize the corresponding solenoid valve' 115. This energizes the corresponding` hydraulic motor 96 to ,start the valve 88 on its way to its second position, thereby discharging a metered quantity of crushed yice into the crate. The corresponding second switch 112 is connected-in serieswith the switch 111 and in 'series with a relaiI 116, the latter being Ain parallel with `the solenoid valve 115. The relay; ,116 ,operates a` switch 117 in series with the switch 11.1 and the solenoidL valve 115, and operates a holding switch 118 connected in series with itself `and in series `with the switch 111. With this circuit,` when'the metering valve 88 reaches its second position, theswitch 112 closes to energize the relay 116. Energization of the relay 116` in this manner results 4in closure of the holding switch llandwin` opening the switch 117, whereby the solenoid valve 115 is de-energized so that it is restored to its initial position to start the valve 8B 4from itssecondrposition backtoward'its iirst` position'again. Thus, the closure or" the'switch 112 is momentary only, but the holding switch 1185maintains the relay 116 energized to de-energiz'e the solenoid valve 115 until such time as the'switch 111 opens upon disengagement by the crate into which crushed ice was discharged. As soon as the switch 111 opens, the relay 116 is de-energized to reset the circuit in preparation for anotherr cycle when the next crate 14 engages the switch 111 ofthe discharge means in question.V In order to insure that each crate 14 disengages theswitch 111 bef forethe next crate engagesit, the high-speed conveyor section 16 associated with dischargeimeans 22 under consideration spaces the crates apart.

Considering the over-all operation of the distributing system of the invention briey, the crushed ice in the bin 21 is constantly maintainedA in a uid state because of the continuous circulation thereof around the bin 21 by the conveyor means 23. Thus, any tendency ofthe ice particles to freeze together, and thus possibly form bridges over the discharge openings 31is eliminated,` The which is an important feature of the invention. weight of ice in the bin 21 is constantly indicated by the scalemeans 3G, so that the operator of the system may feed additional block ice to the cir-usherV 61 as required to replenish the-suppiy in the bin 21. Alternatively, the block ice 'may be fed to the crusher automatically in the manner hereinbefore discussed. As each crate 14 arrives at each discharge station, it actuates'the circuit hereinbefore described to receive a charge' of crushed ice from the corresponding discharge means '22, a charge of ice being dispensed eachtime the corresponding metering valve 38 is moved from its lirst position to its second position, as liereinbefore discussed. With the particular construction shown, wherein three discharge means 22 are spaced apart along each conveyor 13, a charge of ice may be placed in the bottom of each crate 14, a layer of produce placed on this charge of ice, a second charge of ice placed on top of the first layer of produce, an additional layer of produce placed on top of the second charge of icc, andthe crate topped olf with ice bythe last discharge means. However, it will be understood that other procedures and arrangements may be utilized without departing from'the inventionf the' embodiment disclosed without lnetes'sarilyl departing? from the spirit of the invention', as dened'bytheclaims which follow.

I claim as my invention:

1.` Ina `distributing system'4 forv a granular material, the combination of: a bin for the material having the form of'a closed loop; conveyormeans' in said bin for continuously circulating the material around said loop to maintain itin a iuid state, said conveyor means being continuous throughout said loop; means for discharging thernaterial from said bin at lone or more points on said loop; and scale means connected to said bin and including an indicator for indicatingthe weight of material in said bin.

2. In a distributing systemfora granular material, the combination of: a' bin for the material having the form of a closed, multisided loop; conveyor means in said bin for `continuously circulating the material around said closed loop, comprising ,a screw conveyor in each of said sides of said loop and extending ysubstantially the full length thereof, each of said screw conveyors having a discharge end adjacent the inlet end of thenext screw conveyor in saidloop, whereby said conveyor means is continuous around said loop; means for discharging the material from said bin at one or more points on said loop; and scale means connected to said bin and including an indicator for indicating the weight'of material in said bin.

3. The distributing system set forth in claim 2 wherein said loop is rectangular. l

4. In a distributing system for a'granular material, the combination of: a bin for the material having the form of a closed loop; conveyormeans in said bin for continuously circulating the material around said closed loop, said conveyor means being continuous around said loop; means for discharging the material from said bin at one or more points; and scale'means connected to said bin and including an indicator for indicating the weight of material in saidbin.

5. A distributing system according to claim 4, including supply means for delivering material to said bin, said supply means being spaced Vfrom and communicating with said bin, said scale means including a remote indicator located at said supply means.

6. The distributing systemy defined in claim 4, including in addition: supply means for delivering material to said bin; and actuating means controlledjby saidscale means for actuating said supply means whenever the weight of material in said bin falls below a predetermined minimum.

7. A distributing system as delin'ed in claim 1, including in addition: supply means for delivering material to said bin; and actuating means controlled by saidvscale means for actuating said supply means `to delivermaterial to said bin whenever the weight of material in said bin falls below a predetermined minimum.

8. In a distributing system for a granular material, thc combination of: a bin for the material having the form of a closed loop; conveyor means in said bin for cong tinuously circulating the material around said loop to maintain it in a iiuid state, said zconveyorwm'eans being continuous throughout said loop; and discharge means communicating with said bin for discharging the material from said bin in metered quantities at one or 'more points on'said loop, said discharge rneansincludinga conduit communicating with said bin, a valve'lmovable transversely of said conduit including'a first gatetraversing said conduit and having a first aperture adapted to 'register therewith, and includinga second gate traversing said conduit downstream from said first gate and having a second aperture adapted to register with said conduit, said valve being movable from a first position wherein said tirst aperture registers with said conduit to a second positionwherein said second apertureuegi'sters therewith; and actuating means for-moving said valve between4 tinuously circulating the material around said loop to maintain it in a fluid state; discharge means communieating with said bin for discharging the material from said bin in metered quantities at one or more points on said loop, said discharge means including a valve movable between rst and second positions to meter predetermined quantities of material from said bin; a conveyor for articles adapted to receive metered quantities of material from said discharge means; and actuating means, including a rst element actuable by articles on said conveyor and a second element actuable by movement by said valve to said second position, for moving said valve to said second position when an article on said conveyor arrives at a position to receive a quantity of material from said discharge means and for subsequently moving said valve back to said irst position when it arrives at said second position.

10. In a distributing system for a granular material, the combination of: a bin having metering discharge means which includes a valve movable between first and second positions to meter predetermined quantities from said bin; a conveyor for articles adapted to receive metered quantities of material from said discharge means; and actuating means, including a first element actuable by articles on said conveyor and a second element actuable by movement of said valve to said second position, for moving said valve to said second position when an article on said conveyor arrives at a position to receive a quantity of material from said discharge means and for subsequently moving said valve back to said first position in response to its arrival at said second position.

11. A distributing system as defined in claim wherein said iirst and second elements are first and second switches, said actuating means including an actuator connected to said valve, and including a device for energizing said actuator, said actuating means further including a third switch in series with said rst switch and said device, and still further including a holding relay in series with said second switch for opening said third switch to de-energize said device when energized by closure of said second switch.

12. In a distributing system for a granular material, the combination of: a bin for the material having the form of a closed loop; conveyor means in said bin for continuously circulating the material around said loop to maintain it in a uid state, said conveyor means being continuous throughout said loop; and means for discharging the material from said bin at one or more points on said loop.

13. In a distributing system for a granular material having a tendency to cake, the combination of: a bin for the material having the form of a closed, rectangular loop; conveyor means in said bin for continuously circulating the material around said loop, comprising a conveyor in each of the sides of said loop and extending substantially the full length thereof, each of said conveyors having a discharge end immediately adjacent the inlet end of the next conveyor in said loop, whereby said conveyor means is continuous throughout said loop to maintain the material in a uid state at all points therein; means for discharging the material from said bin at one or more points on at least one side of said loop; a conveyor beneath and parallel to said one side of said loop to receive material from said discharging means; and means, including scale means connected to said bin, for supplying additional material to said bin whenever the weight of Inaterial in said bin falls below a predetermined minimum.

14. In a distributing system for a granular material, the combination of: a bin having metering discharge means which includes a metering valve movable between rst and second positions to meter a predetermined quantity of the material from said bin; means for moving said metering valve from said rst position to said second position; and means actuable by said metering valve and responsive to its arrival at said second position for returning said metering valve to its tirst position.

15. In a discharge means for discharging metered quantities of material from a bin, or the like, the combination of: a conduit communicating with said bin; a valve movable transversely of said conduit, including a iirst gate traversing said conduit and having a iirst aperture adapted to register with said conduit, and including a second gate traversing said conduit downstream from said first gate and having a second aperture adapted to register with said conduit, said valve being movable between a first position wherein said rst aperture registers with said conduit and a second position wherein said second aperture registers therewith; and actuating means for moving said valve between said first and second positions, including means actuable by said valve and responsive to the arrival of said valve in said second position for returning said valve to said first position.

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